Troubled school improving, state officials say

ST. LOUIS -- Missouri's education department has recommended a St. Louis County school district regain provisional accreditation -- a change that would bring an end to a costly program that requires the district to pay for students to attend other schools.

The State Board of Education could approve the change for Riverview Gardens School District as early as the board's next meeting Dec. 2, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported.

Riverview Gardens has been unaccredited for nine years.

Missouri Education Commissioner Margie Vandeven on Tuesday said there still is "much improvement to be made" but praised stable leadership and progress in the district.

She said there's been a "significant shift in the climate and culture of that district."

Riverview Gardens has scored high enough in annual school report cards for two years to be considered fully accredited.

The recommendation "really solidifies the great work and the accomplishments that we've been able to achieve over the last three years, now four years," Riverview Gardens superintendent Scott Spurgeon said.

"It keeps that candle burning in our district of hope," he said.

The newspaper reports board members could delay the effective date of a potential accreditation upgrade, giving school officials more time to address transfer students.

Hundreds of students opted to leave Riverview Gardens under the transfer program, which has cost the district millions of dollars.

Spurgeon said he's working with other districts' officials on a plan that wouldn't require transfer students to return to Riverview Gardens immediately if the district regains provisional accreditation.

Under the proposal, transfer students could stay at another school for four more years or until they reach a transition point, such as from eighth grade to high school. Districts would charge Riverview Gardens a cheaper rate of $7,000 a year for each transfer student's tuition, and Riverview wouldn't be required to provide transportation or transportation funding.

Webster Groves and Kirkwood have signed on to the plan.

The state board is delaying taking action on St. Louis Public Schools, a district that is provisionally accredited, until January.